Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 2, 2022

You can’t succeed in business without an operational model that delivers value to customers at a reasonable price, with an underlying cost that allows you to make a profit. A target market is the group of customers that the startup plans to attract through marketing and sales their product or service. How will you reach your customers?

Sales 102

Sales Customer Custom Outsource 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 13, 2022

You may feel good when that first burst of customers arrives, but don’t assume that “ word of mouth ” and those early adopters will grow your business to match your dreams of success. In these days of global competition via multiple channels, you need continuous marketing to find more customers. They won’t find you.

Technical Review 142

Technical Review Social Media Conference Customer 142

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2020

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Startup 174

Startup Training Services Writing 174

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2023

Strategic partnerships in this context can take the form of joint ventures, intellectual property licensing, outsourcing agreements, or even cooperative research. If your customers would benefit by having products from both companies, you might negotiate the opportunity to include the other’s product as an add-on.

Startup 105

Startup Outsource Competition Entrepreneur 105

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2012

As I visit the websites of many startups, as well as more mature businesses, I still too often see a “contact” page offering nothing but a sterile form for customers to submit, never to be heard from again. Customers are not all like you, and they have choices, so a “one size fits all” customer service is no longer a viable option.

Social Media 91

Social Media Customer Custom Media 91

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2013

As I visit the websites of many startups, as well as more mature businesses, I still too often see a “contact” page offering nothing but a sterile form for customers to submit, never to be heard from again. Customers are not all like you, and they have choices, so a “one size fits all” customer service is no longer a viable option.

Social Media 99

Social Media Customer Custom Media 99

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2014

If you have a software development background like mine, Im sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. Outsourcing is defined as contracting the work to another company, usually located in a developing country, like India, China, or Eastern Europe.

Outsource Development 95

Outsource Development Outsource Offshore Software Review 95

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2020

Strategic partnerships in this context can take the form of joint ventures, intellectual property licensing, outsourcing agreements, or even cooperative research. If your customers would benefit by having products from both companies, you might negotiate the opportunity to include the other’s product as an add-on.

Startup 126

Startup Outsource Competition Acquisition 126

Jason Nazar

JULY 1, 2016

Entrepreneurs often lament big companies, but most of us hope we’ll create just that. Add in public company demands, lawsuit targets, & millions of customers to continually satisfy, and you have to have great respect for those doing it well. Decisions that take entrepreneurs an hour, often take months at large companies.

Entrepreneur 55

Entrepreneur Company Companies Outsource Development 55

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2022

If one of your core values is exceeding your customer expectations for quality and service, and your potential partner ascribes to the low cost, high profit mantra, a successful partnership is highly unlikely over the long-term. Is your project seen by both as an end in itself, or a means to another end? Conflicting visions won’t work.

Software Review 154

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 154

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2022

Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. With no competitive advantage, startups with new ideas gaining traction are never feared, and are usually eaten for lunch as sleeping giants wake up. Talent – Every startup needs talents to give the company value. If you want to be feared.

Startup 112

Startup News Framework Outsource 112

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 72

Services Startup Training Writing 72

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2010

The CTO / Lead Architect - If you want to build a great technology company, you’ll need a “rockstar&# engineering lead. So I believe that every great technology startup has the technology visionary inside the company. They care about the quality of what is build more than they care about end customers.

CTO Hire 400

CTO Hire Fractional VPE Startup Outsource Development 400

InfoChachkie

JUNE 4, 2012

As an entrepreneur, I helped create companies which achieved two IPOs and two trade sales totaling $385 million. Fallacy: Startup ventures tend to evolve, especially after you begin speaking with pesky customers and demanding partners. No one has heard of you, your company or your solutions. Rely On A Public Relations Agency.

Entrepreneur 272

Entrepreneur Outsource Ideas Technical Review 272

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2014

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 105

Services Startup Training Writing 105

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

As an entrepreneur and startup investor, I have helped create companies which achieved two IPOs which collectively raised over $100 million, as well as two acquisitions which totaled $385 million. Fallacy: AdVentures tend to evolve once you begin speaking with pesky customers and demanding partners. 3) Attempt To License An Idea.

Startup 242

Startup Outsource Development Outsource Sales 242

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2019

Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. With no competitive advantage, startups with new ideas gaining traction are never feared, and are usually eaten for lunch as sleeping giants wake up. Talent – Every startup needs talents to give the company value. If you want to be feared.

Startup 94

Startup News Framework Outsource 94

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

Strategic partnerships in this context can take the form of joint ventures, intellectual property licensing, outsourcing agreements, or even cooperative research. If your customers would benefit by having products from both companies, you might negotiate the opportunity to include the other’s product as an add-on.

Startup 59

Startup Outsource Competition Acquisition 59

socalTECH

APRIL 21, 2017

What's the secret to creating a profitable, successful, physical subscription based business--and to do that at the scale of large, consumer product goods (CPGs) companies? xWe spoke with a few companies in the recurring revenue area space, ahead of the Recurring Revenue Conference ([link] which we are helping to sponsor next week.

Startup 145

Startup Product Customer Custom 145

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2016

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 61

Services Startup Training Writing 61

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2019

If one of your core values is exceeding your customer expectations for quality and service, and your potential partner ascribes to the low cost, high profit mantra, a successful partnership is highly unlikely over the long-term. Is your project seen by both as an end in itself, or a means to another end? Conflicting visions won’t work.

Software Review 88

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 88

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2012

You can’t succeed in business without an operational model that delivers value to customers at a reasonable price, with an underlying cost that allows you to make a profit. A target market is the group of customers that the startup plans to attract through marketing and sales their product or service. How will you reach your customers?

Sales 97

Sales Customer Custom Outsource 97

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 14, 2014

Strategic partnerships in this context can take the form of joint ventures, intellectual property licensing, outsourcing agreements, or even cooperative research. If your customers would benefit by having products from both companies, you might negotiate the opportunity to include the other’s product as an add-on.

Startup 97

Startup Entrepreneur Outsource Competition 97

socalTECH

JUNE 9, 2014

We caught up with Lee Essner , the President of Jukin Media, to learn more about how the company thinks it has figured out how to make a business round viral videos. That''s where the traditional media companies--the morning shows, the news clips shows, the ad agencies--can see what is viral and trending, and can license it directly from us.

Media 235

Media Content Startup IP 235

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2016

Strategic partnerships in this context can take the form of joint ventures, intellectual property licensing, outsourcing agreements, or even cooperative research. If your customers would benefit by having products from both companies, you might negotiate the opportunity to include the other’s product as an add-on.

Startup 55

Startup Outsource Competition Entrepreneur 55

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2011

You can’t succeed in business without an operational model that delivers value to customers at a reasonable price, with an underlying cost that allows you to make a profit. A target market is the group of customers that the startup plans to attract through marketing and sales their product or service. How will you reach your customers?

Sales 98

Sales Customer Custom Outsource 98

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2011

In the initial phases of any new market you’re developing a product (hopefully with a minimal set of features), getting feedback from customers, refining your product based on user feedback and then re-launching your product. I believe that over capitalizing companies too early often favors the VC. Rinse & repeat.

Development Team Review 374

Development Team Review Technical Review Startup Resource 374

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2012

A business plan is an “outward facing” document for external investors, or for C-level executives within your own company. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Competition analysis. Market research and competition. Market research. Development and rollout.

Product 92

Product Outsource Development Competition High Tech 92

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 16, 2014

Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. With no competitive advantage, startups with new ideas gaining traction are never feared, and are usually eaten for lunch as sleeping giants wake up. Talent – Every startup needs talents to give the company value. If you want to be feared.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Startup News Framework 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 23, 2014

I’m sure you can think of better examples, but here are some comments that we have all heard from people who are trying to avoid accountability before the fact, who are setting themselves up for failure: “I’d love to start a new company, but nobody will invest in me.” Customer expectations these days can be unreasonable.”

Entrepreneur 99

Entrepreneur Startup Outsource Satisfaction 99

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2014

If one of your core values is exceeding your customer expectations for quality and service, and your potential partner ascribes to the low cost, high profit mantra, a successful partnership is highly unlikely over the long-term. It doesn’t take long to sense someone’s real commitment, or vision and desired outcome of a joint project.

Software Review 107

Software Review Entrepreneur CTO Hire Outsource Development 107

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2013

The opportunity for change is huge, with everyone taking a new look at the world after the recession, but the competition is also huge, since the cost of entry is at an all-time low. Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. Talent – Every startup needs talents to give the company value. If you want to be feared.

Startup 99

Startup Competition News Framework 99

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

Executives from large companies have sometimes long forgotten how to do this (“My people will contact your people to work out the details.”). Others hire consultants, or outsource much of the real work. Team members and customers expect startup founders to be innovative. But there are many times when your presence is critical.

Startup 103

Startup Entrepreneur Template Mentor 103

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2017

Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. With no competitive advantage, startups with new ideas gaining traction are never feared, and are usually eaten for lunch as sleeping giants wake up. Talent – Every startup needs talents to give the company value. If you want to be feared.

Startup 57

Startup News Framework Entrepreneur 57

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2011

A business plan is an “outward facing” document for external investors, or for C-level executives within your own company. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Competition analysis. Market research and competition. Market research. Development and rollout.

Product 93

Product Entrepreneur Outsource Development Competition 93

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2013

I’m sure you can think of better examples, but here are some comments that we have all heard from people who are trying to avoid accountability before the fact, who are setting themselves up for failure: “I’d love to start a new company, but nobody will invest in me.” Customer expectations these days can be unreasonable.”

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Outsource Satisfaction 100

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 1, 2013

Customers are notorious for stretching pay periods which means that the money you were including in your calculations may not exist. Just as you would hope (and expect) your customers to make payments in a timely fashion, you need to do likewise. Do your due diligence to perform competitive analysis.

Startup 93

Startup Pricing Outsource Competition 93